Daijiworld Media Network - Indore
Indore, Sep 20: In a major action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached 14 immovable properties worth ?4.5 crore in connection with a multi-crore financial fraud linked to the Block Education Office (BEO) in Katthiwada, Alirajpur district, Madhya Pradesh.
The attachment follows a detailed investigation stemming from an FIR registered by Katthiwada police, which revealed large-scale embezzlement of government funds intended for education-related development between 2018 and 2023. According to the ED, officials and staff of the BEO allegedly manipulated the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) to generate fraudulent bills and siphon off public money.
During earlier searches conducted under Section 17 of the PMLA, officials seized incriminating documents and froze substantial amounts in bank accounts. The primary accused, Kamal Rathore, was arrested on August 7 this year and remains in judicial custody.
The ED investigation revealed that around Rs 20.47 crore was embezzled using 917 fake bills, with the money routed through 134 bank accounts. The laundered funds were reportedly withdrawn in large cash amounts, transferred among relatives, and used to purchase real estate assets across Alirajpur and Panna districts.
To hide the illicit origin of the funds, several of the properties were allegedly purchased in the names of family members and later sold or converted to other assets. The 14 properties now attached are believed to be a part of this laundering web.
Officials stated that the probe is ongoing and further attachments or arrests may follow. The case, one of the largest education department scams in Madhya Pradesh in recent years, illustrates how public sector frauds are increasingly executed through sophisticated digital financial systems.
The ED’s action sends a clear signal about the growing scrutiny on financial misconduct within government institutions and the legal consequences for those involved.